Just Teaching
by SNOGIRL
Summary: Korra's teaching Mako about traditional firebending... Kind of a follow up to Just Training.
1. Chapter 1

**Just Teaching…**

**Okay, pardon my French here, but- WHAT THE HELL PEOPLE! What is up with all the angst? Yes, I know it's been a rough couple of episodes, but come on! Have a little more faith in Makorra, and make better plots other than one of them dying or marrying someone else. **

**Now. For the rest of you who are hanging on by your fingertips (myself included) I applaud you and am now going to write this very cute story while I am still very disappointed and upset with the others. **

**Disclaimer: Never owned, never will.**

**P.S. This is set basically at the beginning of "When Extremes Meet" when they arrive at the Air Temple. Other than that, I'm going to re-write the whole episode because I hate how it turned out.**

As soon as I was sure Asami was settled, I raced off to my room, flinging open the door and slamming it shut before I fell face first onto my bed. My pillow muffled my groan and took the blunt of my blows as I punched it, cursing Ikki to the Spirit world and back. After I was finished with her, I started on Mako. Then Asami. Asami took decidedly longer, and I continued to mumble insults at her as I drifted into a restless sleep.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_ I barely flinched, used to Tenzin's methods for getting me up in the morning. Or in this case, probably afternoon. Only did I sit bolt right up when Mako's voice called tiredly through the thin door. "Korra, you in there? Pema says that it's time for lunch."

I grabbed my pillow, pressing it hard into my face as I fell back onto the mattress again with a muted _thump_. I started cursing him again when his tone took on of one annoyed. "Korra, come on. I know you love food just as much as Bolin and if you don't get up there won't be any left."

I flipped onto my stomach, staring out my window at the city's smokey horizon line. "I'm not hungry."

That was completely false. I hadn't had breakfast, much to everyone's surprise, my stomach still too unstable from the truth about Hiroshi Sato to digest anything. That and the fact that I would see Mako and Asami cuddling and kissing and hugging everywhere I turned. I put on a front, mostly for Mako and maybe a little for Asami too. Somewhere in the thick of things she had become my friend.

I jerked my head around so fast I was sure that I had whiplash as the door was flung open, revealing an angry Mako. Not the best prize behind door number one. "Uh, what do you think you're doing?" I tried to keep the bite out of my voice. I really did. I wasn't very successful.

"What do you think _you're_ doing?" He growled. "'I'm not hungry'," he imitated, scoffing. "That's a lie and we both know it."

"What do you want?" I grouched, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and leaning back on my hands. "Besides to invade my personal privacy of course."

"I think it's too late for that. And you invaded mine first." he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not here to fight you Korra. I came to tell you that-"

"Lunch was ready, yeah, yeah, yeah." I waved it off, blowing my damp hair out of my eyes. The humidity had gotten worse since this morning. "I'll come down later." All I wanted to do was flop back onto the thin straw mattress and never wake up for the next hundred years. Aang definitely had the right idea there.

"I wasn't finished," he quipped, pulling at his worn gloves. "I also came here to ask if you wanted to um-" He stopped, fiddling with his scarf.

I cocked my head to the side, half puzzled and half amused as he squirmed. "What?"

"I just wanted to know if you-" he mumbled, pacing the length of the narrow room.

"If I what? Just spit it out already Mako." I barked sharply, springing up with arms crossed and hip jutting out moodily.

"I was just wondering if maybe you'd like to, I don't know, teach me traditional firebending..?" He said the last part under his breath, and a smug smile threatened to twist my mouth.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that, what?" I said innocently, lips curling on their own accord despite my efforts.

He sighed, looking at the space between our feet, pulling at the frayed cuffs of his jacket. "I want you to teach me traditional firebending." He said just a bit louder, still shuffling his feet.

"One more time please, I'm having a really hard time hearing you." My eyes narrowed, and I smirked as he growled, throwing his head back and running hand over his face.

"Agni! Fine, I want you to teach me traditional firebending!" He shouted, steam rushing out of his nose like the whistle at the power plant as he huffed furiously.

"Oh, you want me to teach you traditional _firebending_." I nodded, as if understanding for the first time. A grin spread over my face, so wide my cheeks hurt.

He dropped his head into his hand, ears a shocking red. "You know what? Just forget it." He strode to the door, his hand already on the smooth aged wood. Oh no he didn't, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Not to mention I could criticize him all I wanted, and all of it didn't necessarily need to be related to bending…

I gripped his shoulder, turning him around. "No, no, no. If you really want to learn, I'll teach you. But you have to do everything I say, exactly what I say."

"Everything?" He said mournfully, face and jaw slack.

I winked, shutting his mouth with a snap as I sashayed past him, pausing in the open doorway. "It's my turn to be Team Captain." After a sassy two finger salute I strutted into the hall, already wondering what Pema had made for lunch, cackling all the way there.

**Hey guys, seeing as it's almost tomorrow (scratch that, it is tomorrow) and I promised myself I would go to bed earlier, I'm going to split this into chapters because I'm just too lazy to do it all in one. You know the rules: Ten reviews per chapter. And you've already made it pretty clear that you want this one **_**bad**_**, so hop to it! **

**Reviews are loved, the people who write them even more so.**

**SNO.**

**P.S. Guys, I didn't want to have to say this, but please, if you're going to alert or favorite my story, pretty pretty please with Pabu fireferrett puppy eyes leave me a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Just Teaching…**

**Jeez people, I just posted the first chapter this morning (very very **_**early**_** this morning) and I'm already doing a second chapter! At this rate I'll probably have to update **_**hourly**_**. But just know that if I can't write anymore deliciously fluffy Makorra because my fingers are so sore from typing it's all your faults. :S Yeah, I'm weird. Deal with it. Now on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: Never owned, never will.**

"Mako," I whined as he brought his dishes over to Pema. He was slower than a Giant Lion-Turtle, bringing one dish over at a time. "Come on!"

He turned, still taking his own sweet time as Pema chuckled. "Just a minute Korra, maybe Pema needs help with the dishes." I groaned as he put his back to me again, silently begging her over Mako's shoulder to not let him help.

Her eyes glittered playfully, and she winked before looking back at Mako. "You know what, you kids go have fun. You need some time to relax. Go on. Ikki's going to help me with dishes anyways."

In unison, both Mako and Ikki's heads jerked up in surprise. "What?" They both sputtered, Ikki's somewhat garbled because of food in her mouth.

I grabbed his arm, dragging him out of the small kitchen. "Well, you heard her, hop to it City Boy. Let's go."

He groaned, finally relenting and allowing me to haul him into the courtyard where I usually trained with Tenzin. The gates shimmered slightly in the heat, a blurry haze coming off the cobblestones.

"Ugh," He ground out, panting ever so slightly in the thick muggy air. "Do we have to train now?"

"Yes," I said smugly, even though the heat was getting to me too. "Noon is the best time for training because the sun is at its highest point. Besides, you're the one who wanted to learn firebending so badly. If you have a problem, deal with it.

Immediately Mako shucked his jacket and scarf, sweat already beading on his forehead. It left him in his old threadbare undershirt and loose gray trousers. He paused, amber eyes calculating before he gripped the hem of the shirt in his hands, pulling it off in one fluid and swift motion, a sigh whooshing out of his parted lips.

I had to stop one of my own, but I think I stopped breathing all together. His pale chest glistened in the brutal sunlight, corded muscles defined from hours of discipline. Burns and scars marred his skin, but he was still perfect. He had earned them protecting Bolin when they were younger. They were a part of his past and apart of him. "Um…" A side effect of not breathing tended to lead to incoherent speech.

He smirked slightly at my reaction. "If you have a problem, deal with it." I shook my head, blaming the sudden burn in my cheeks on the temperature.

I shrugged pulling off my pelt. "Okay, I will." I gripped my own thick top in my hands, beginning to pull it off of my sticky skin.

He looked flabbergasted, eyes as wide as Meelo's when he saw my chocolate birthday cake Pema had made me. Right as I blew out my candles, he had face planted right into it, all the while still singing: Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you… Luckily Pema had foresaw it coming and had simply walked over to the oven and pulled out the spare.

"What do you think you're doing?" He gasped, staggering back a few steps in shock.

I looked at him curiously, like I didn't know what his problem was. "I'm dealing with the problem." I shrugged out of it, dropping it on top of my pelt and leaving just in my chest bindings. I had heard that Katara had trained Aang plenty of times like this when they were young. Hey, why get all your clothes wet? I paused, grinning wolfishly. "Why, do _you_ have a problem of me training like this?"

He swallowed audibly, causing me to grin wider if possible, looking away, cheeks stained pink. "No, not at all."

"Good," I said, satisfied. I clapped my hands twice, motioning for him to follow me once more.

I skipped ahead, feeling the warm air slide through my open fingers, the potential to bend it just itching to get out. I glanced behind me, seeing him trudge along even more slowly than he had before.

"Come on," I cried out, exasperated. "I want to start training before I'm reincarnated you know." I marched forward, determined not to look behind me again.

I didn't have to turn around to tell that he was rolling his eyes. We reached the center of the courtyard, and the heat billowed up from the ground around us in waves. He finally caught up to me, plopping onto the hot stones. I paced around him, coming to face his back. I planted my foot firmly between his shoulder blades, shoving him forward.

He looked back at my incredulously. I smiled and wagged my finger back and forth. "Nuh-uh. No resting until I say remember?"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked up and nodded tiredly, like the effort of agreeing with me had exhausted him.

"All righty then," I chirped, and got into the basic firebending stance. "The key to traditional firebending is to be fluid but powerful in all of your movements."

"So like a waterbender," He said, tapping his fingers on his crossed arms.

"Yeah, kind of. You want deep, full breaths right here-" I tapped the space right above my stomach, a little below my rib cage. "And exhale when you strike. It helps your chi flow easier."

I ran through some of the beginner level stances and strikes. Right punch, sprawl with the left leg, and quick darts of flame. I stood to face him, his expression having me blinking once more. It was more than the calculating tilt of the head and scrunched eyebrows that I usually witnessed in practice. There was something he was trying to hide, and not very well at that.

We stood there for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly, I could tell that it wasn't the heat that seemed to be tangible to the touch. It was the tension between us. Something was about to happen. It was only a matter of time.

The tell-tale sounds of off key whistling and whooshing air brought me out of the odd state. I cleared my throat, glancing at the stone steps just as Meelo raced up them on a ball of air. It evaporated as he floated down in front of me, looking up at me with drooping gray eyes.

"Korra," he whined, wrapping his chubby little arms around my legs. "It's hot."

"Very observant Meelo," I imitated Tenzin stroking his beard, putting a serene expression on my face as Mako tried to disguise his snickers as a coughing fit. "You should meditate. The heat will not only open your pores, but also your spiritual concentration."

"But I don wanna." He slurred, lip wobbling as a snot bubble started to form.

I laughed at an almost exact recreation of Bolin's baby seal-turtle's eyes. I knelt down before him, scrubbing a hand over his bald head. "Tell you what. After I'm done training with Mako, we can ask your dad if we can go swimming. How 'bout that?"

He grinned, showing off a gap in his smile waiting to be filled by a new tooth. "Kay!" He started to speed off again, but I caught his hand.

"Don't forget to tell your sisters to pack, okay?" He nodded very seriously, as if this were a life or death message only he had been entrusted to deliver.

I stood, sighing as he whirled away again on his little ball of air, bellowing for the whole island to hear: "_IKKI! JINORA! GUESS WHAT? KORRA'S TAKING US TO THE BEACH! DADDY! KORRA HAS SOMETHING TO ASK YOU!"_

I shook my head chuckling. "All right, let's get back to-" The words stuck in my throat at his peculiar expression. "What?"

He shook himself out of the daze, the tips of his ears pink. "Um, nothing. Nothing…"

"Okay then. Repeat the moves I just showed you. I'll watch and then we'll go over what you did wrong." I stepped back into the shade, hoping it hid my burning cheeks. I wasn't about to let him know how flustered and nervous he was making me.

He seemed to borrow some of Bolin's good natured cockiness for the moment, grinning. "Please me? Do something wrong? Pfft. This is easy peasy."

He was right technically. He was precise, swift in his movements, but his stance was a little sloppy. His feet were too far apart, and his shoulders too tense. I looked at his eyes. They seemed bored, as if this were a chore instead of an opportunity. When he finished, he looked at me expectantly, chest puffed up in pride.

I strode over, shrugging my shoulders. "Not bad," I hid my smile as I quoted him from the night we first met. "Your feet should only be about shoulder length apart. You looked like you were trying to do the splits." I got him into position, circling him and tweaking here and there.

I stopped behind him again, resting my hands on his shoulders and rubbed gently at the knotted muscle. He slowly relaxed, but his breathing was still a little shallow. Odd. I leaned forward to whisper in his ear, sliding my hands down to grip his forearms and lead him slowly in the movements. "You're tense in your shoulders. You need to be relaxed and ready to act if necessary. There isn't time to freeze up."

We started moving in sync, even more slowly now, almost like we were dancing, mirror figures. "Fire is the element that I think relays the most emotion in your attacks. The more passionate the emotion, the bigger the flame." I had unconsciously swayed toward him, my front brushing against his back. "Find your fire Mako," I breathed and he shivered as my breath curled around his ear. It took me a moment to realize that we had stopped altogether. I resisted the urge to clear my throat as I stepped away from him. He turned, eyes glazed and face oddly blank.

"That was pretty good for your first day. Just practice breathing deeply when you have time. Light a candle and meditate, see if you can keep the flame steady." I brushed the sweat off of my forehead with the back of my hand, the other propped up on my hip. "And just remember: You always need to be-" I slipped my foot behind his, jerking so that he toppled over with a yelp of surprise. What I didn't expect was for him to grab my shoulder in an effort to remain standing.

I gasped as I hit his chest, like I had hit the ground instead of him. His gold eyes shone as he laughed his chest rumbling underneath me as I gaped like a fish out of water. "-ready to act if necessary." He finished for me, and his amusement suddenly faded as he hesitantly reached out a hand, brushing a strand of hair out of my eyes with trembling fingers.

He swallowed, his adams' apple bobbling with the movement. "I found my fire Korra," he whispered, cupping my face in his hands. The heat around us smoldered, just like his eyes. I would gladly jump into the flames. "It's you."

My eyes fluttered closed as our lips barely brushed, lighter than a butterfly-moth's wings. He pressed his mouth to mine tenderly, slowly, and it was just me and him and the heat once more. Far away, I heard vaguely familiar demented laughter and the whooshing of air.

"Kor-ra! Daddy said that we-" The voice faltered, and the sudden breeze stopped, the pitter patter of small feet on the cobblestones demanding my attention. I reluctantly pulled away from the kiss, looking up to see Meelo standing above us, his tiny hands fisted on his hips. I recognized the position easily, seeing as it was one of my own. I taught him so well.

"Korra, what were you doing?" he said, though I had a feeling he already knew from that mischievous little smile on his face.

"Um, nothing Meelo," I said nervously, climbing off Mako with burning cheeks to settle on the smooth stones. "Just teaching…"

I turned to look out the window as Mako continued to peck at my neck, distracted by the sudden shrieking of one of the tourists. Tenzin glided out, speaking to a hysterical mother who looked like she was about to bite someone's head off. She snapped, pointing at Meelo who was standing at the stairs leading down to the dock. He waved cheerfully, and Tenzin went slack jawed, going pale and stuttering apologies. After a few more careful sentences, the mother calmed down and was shuttled onto the ferry with the remaining tourists who were previously transfixed by the scene.

I heard the door open and Tenzin's heavy sigh as he made his way down the hall, and the rapid footsteps of Meelo struggling to catch up with him. "But Daddy, I was just teaching Mae Li what I learned!"

Maybe I taught him a little too well…

**Tada! Oh my gosh you guys, I'm so tired. There are only so many hours in the night, and I need more of them used for sleeping, which is a shame because I get my best ideas for fluff than. **

**SNO.**


End file.
